If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ve probably noticed the huge growth of social media. TikTok. This app has captured the imagination of millions worldwide with its short and engaging videos.
But now there’s a new mysterious app on the scene. It’s gaining momentum and excitement from the public even before its release: TikTok Notes.
We don’t know much about it so far. But we know something! Whoever gets to know how it works first will be able to thrive in this possible exploding trend in the digital market.
Before we start, TikTok Notes is going to allow people to express themselves through photos and text. But there’s going to be more than that. Don’t worry, dear reader, here we’ve gathered all the information we have so far about this mysterious platform.
TikTok Origins, Purpose, and Success!
First, you can have a glimpse of how this app became the success it is today. Then you’ll understand why TikTok notes can follow the same path to success!
Before becoming a global phenomenon, TikTok was known as “Douyin”, a creation of Zhang Yiming who founded ByteDance in China. One brilliant move happened when they acquired Musical.ly, in 2017, which already had a legion of users.
In less than a year, TikTok had gained traction in over 150 countries and broken download records.
What Was Their Secret?
At the time, TikTok had a unique approach to video sharing: users could unleash their creativity and discover diverse content quickly.
Unlike other social media apps at the time, users’ feeds weren’t limited to just their friends or brands they’d engaged with. Users never knew what they’d see next, being truly a place for discovery.
It revolutionized the market, and the other apps followed suit and released Reels (Instagram) and Shorts (YouTube). But it was too late: TikTok was a pioneer!
What We Know About TikTok Note Now?
Not long ago TikTok Notes was just a rumor, right? Well, now it’s official! It’s currently available in Canada and Australia.
ByteDance has confirmed it, and some people are already receiving notifications in their TikTok app about it.
All we know at the moment is that it will be an image-sharing platform and it’s a direct rival to Instagram.
Synchronization With Your TikTok Account
TikTok Notes is to TikTok, just like Threads is to Instagram. Some of the data is synchronized and people don’t need to sign up for a new account after downloading TikTok Notes.
However, the settings on TikTok Notes will not be the same as those on TikTok-including privacy settings. For example, if the user prefers to keep your content private, they need to turn it on manually in TikTok Notes.
In the last updates, TikTok has been encouraging users to share their personal photos using both single or carousel. Well, it all makes sense now! These photos will automatically carry on to TikTok Notes!
It seems like you don’t necessarily need to be active in TikTok Notes for it to share your photos. However, TikTok is alerting their users about this functionality as soon as they open their new app. Users can accept it or not.
Innovation In The Main Feed
At first glance, it seems like a mix of Pinterest and Instagram. The feed is pretty similar to Pinterest. It has two-column grids, and each post features:
- The main image.
- Post headline (up to 4,000 characters, almost double compared to Instagram).
- The profile picture and handle of the creator.
- Likes count.
- A like button.
Users can unleash their creativity by sharing their photos and adding brief text to give a special touch to the post. Whether it be a funny description, a quick summary, or just a playful message.
For brands, TikTok SEO is going to be a strong component. Creators will be able to create much more insightful, rich, and longer content.
App’s Features
Just like TikTok, users can easily tap between Following and For you. Here are the differences between them:
- Following: Only showcases posts from people the user is following.
- For You: Users can explore various recommended content based on their interests.
The recommendations vary from lifestyles to informative content through photo-texts, recipes, and much more!
How is Their Current Algorithm?
While Instagram prioritizes aesthetic photos, the new TikTok Notes seems to be focusing on helpful content.
The app’s promo shots tell people to share their daily lives, but also discover useful notes—that’s why it’s called TikTok Notes and not TikTok Photos.
What do they want to say about that? They prioritize functionality, utility, and information over aesthetics. However, they didn’t leave visuals behind, as their promotional pics still show beautiful images.
What Is Their End Goal?
TikTok may be recreating the success of “Xiaohongshu” (the Chinese version of Instagram), which focuses on e-commerce—on the business side. If our theory is right, their main goal might also be to appeal to e-commerce. That means you can expect easier affiliate marketing between creators and brands.
What Are Its Technical Specifications?
The platform is available in over 20 different languages, ensuring access for a wide range of users around the world. But there’s still no global release date yet, as the developers stated “TikTok Notes is available for download and limited testing in Australia and Canada.”
When they mention “limited testing”, it’s usually fat from a global rollout. If it’s not successful, they might even scrap the project.
Regarding age, it is recommended for those aged 12 and older, providing an experience that combines fun and responsibility.
If you’re on Team iPhone, no problem, you just need to have iOS 11.0 or a newer version on your device. But what about Android users? There is currently no information on compatibility. So, it’s a wait-and-see situation.
Expect an Instagram Response
Instagram has a reputation for mimicking other apps. For example, they copied Snapchat’s Stories and even TikTok’s Reels. When it launched Threads, it was a direct copy of X.
Now it’s TikTok’s turn, which is designed to compete directly against Instagram.
ByteDance plans to leverage TikTok’s extensive user base for automatic registration on the new platform. Does this sound familiar? Instagram adopted a similar approach with the integration of Threads into its own platform.
How will they react to the news that their video competitor is about to launch a photo platform that could surpass it? Keep an eye on our blog to stay up-to-date with the latest news when Instagram makes its move!
Will TikTok Notes Have a Chance to Arrive in the USA?
Despite the excitement surrounding a new platform, there is a possibility of the US banning TikTok Notes. That happens because the authorities are concerned about TikTok stalking the activities of US users. It raises the fear that this information may be demanded by the Chinese government.
If the government approves the ban, ByteDance would have six months to close a sale deal with a company unaffiliated with China to continue operating in the US. Now, we can only wait for the final decision to know the fate of the platform.
TikTok Notes: A Platform That’s Here to Stay
With TikTok Notes stepping into the spotlight, it’s impossible not to feel a wave of excitement and curiosity about what’s to come. The new app is a natural extension of TikTok’s success, further capitalizing on the popularity and trends of fast-paced, engaging content consumption.
So, what do you think of this new development? It appears that this new platform is already posing a mark in the digital world!